Biodiversity, Ecosystem Functions and Policy Across a Tropical Forest Modification Gradient
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Kent
Department Name: Durrell Inst Conservation and Ecology
Abstract
Tropical forests support over two-thirds of the world's terrestrial biodiversity. However, between 35% and 50% of tropical forests have already been degraded, and the rate of deforestation continues to increase. Secondary forests, plantations and other human-modified habitats now dominate tropical landscapes, leading to concerns that human degradation of these landscapes will elevate greenhouse gas emissions and jeopardise ecosystem services at local, regional and global scales. The area of protected forests is unlikely to increase greatly in the future, so the persistence of tropical biodiversity and the important biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem services associated with it will depend to a large extent on the way we treat the wider tropical landscape. The Human Modified Tropical Forests programme seeks to 'significantly improve our understanding of the links between biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles in tropical forests' through 'integrated observations and modelling linked to gradients in forest modification'. To contribute towards this goal our consortium will use surveys along a modification gradient within the SAFE landscape in Sabah (Malaysian Borneo) to detect patterns, combined with manipulative field experiments to gain a mechanistic understanding of biodiversity-function linkages. We will assess links between above- and belowground components of tropical biodiversity and investigate the extent to which different elements of biodiversity (e.g. species of conservation concern) are associated with measures of ecosystem function (decomposition processes and biogeochemical cycles). We will then upscale from the experimental sites to the landscape-scale to generate spatial layers of ecosystem function, biodiversity, and greenhouse gas fluxes to inform policy scenario modelling. Our work will thus (1) characterise soil microbial function and measuring associated biogeochemical fluxes; (2) Experimentally test the links between aboveground biodiversity and soil function; (3) Build and add to existing datasets for bird and mammals, and explore correlations between ecosystem functioning and the distribution of species of conservation concern; and (4) Explore policy scenarios for optimising biodiversity and function protection.
Planned Impact
The project will generate high quality research that will improve our comprehension of the impact of anthropogenic land-use alterations on the natural world. It will contribute greatly to the pool of excellent studies being published by UK academics, supporting our reputation as world-leaders in the field of global environmental change. To this end, the project is highly relevant to the NERC mission and delivers in relation to both its strategic 'biodiversity' and 'climate system' themes.
WHO MIGHT BENEFIT FROM THIS RESEARCH? We have identified 5 key stakeholder groups listed below.
1: Academic community: please refer to the 'Academic Beneficiaries' section for details.
2: Oil palm and forestry industry groups: including oil palm producers (e.g. Sime Darby, Benta Wawasan), government agencies (e.g. Malaysian Palm Oil Board, MOPB; Indonesian Palm Oil Association, GAPKI; Sabah Forestry Department; Sabah Parks Department), research organisations (e.g. Center for International Forestry Research, CIFOR; Royal Society's SEnSOR programme) and consultancies (e.g. WildAsia Malaysia, Daemeter Consulting Indonesia, People Nature Consulting Indonesia, REDD+ Task Force).
3: UK and EU policy-makers: such as the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC; UK government department for international climate policy), Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra; producer of the UK Statement on Sustainable Palm Oil), Department for International Development (DFID; funder of research into poverty alleviation through oil palm production), and the European Commission (who make EU-wide decisions pertaining to palm oil production and consumption via instruments such as the Renewable Fuels Directive).
4. Non-governmental organisations: comprising of those working in forest-agricultural landscapes (e.g. Hutan- Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project, Greenpeace, WWF, Conservation International, Rainforest Foundation).
5: General public: who demonstrate a keen awareness of tropical forest ecology, threatened species, oil palm production and climate change issues.
HOW MIGHT THEY BENEFIT FROM THIS RESEARCH?
1: Academic community: please see 'Academic Beneficiaries'
2 & 4. Oil palm and forestry industry groups/Non-governmental organisations: our project findings will provide recommendations on how to maximise profitability of oil palm plantations while maintaining, or even enhancing, ecosystem function and biodiversity. This state-of-the-art knowledge will benefit organisations interested in both sustainable oil palm production and forestry, particularly in the context of policies (REDD+) and certification schemes (e.g. Forest Stewardship Council, FSC; Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, RSPO; Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels) . By engaging these organisations in knowledge exchange throughout the programme of research, we can ensure that our work will be of value in terms of 'real-world' implementation and impact.
3: UK and EU policy-makers: increasing sustainable oil palm agriculture and reducing forest degradation/loss are key policy objectives globally. Our results will provide an informative evidence-base to support policy decision-making in this area, which is currently highly controversial, contradictory and dynamic (e.g. the recently introduced 'Nutella Amendment' in France, that has seen taxes on palm oil products increase by 300% due to environmental concerns; the recent decision by the EU to advocate palm oil produced according to RSPO guidelines as 'sustainable').
5: General public: the project will be of interest to the general population worldwide, as indicated by the substantial media coverage on tropical biodiversity and the associated impacts of human activities. This is an important means by which we can engage/inform the public about the value of biodiversity (e.g. its intrinsic worth, economic significance, ecosystem service provision) and promote awareness of sustainable use and conservation
WHO MIGHT BENEFIT FROM THIS RESEARCH? We have identified 5 key stakeholder groups listed below.
1: Academic community: please refer to the 'Academic Beneficiaries' section for details.
2: Oil palm and forestry industry groups: including oil palm producers (e.g. Sime Darby, Benta Wawasan), government agencies (e.g. Malaysian Palm Oil Board, MOPB; Indonesian Palm Oil Association, GAPKI; Sabah Forestry Department; Sabah Parks Department), research organisations (e.g. Center for International Forestry Research, CIFOR; Royal Society's SEnSOR programme) and consultancies (e.g. WildAsia Malaysia, Daemeter Consulting Indonesia, People Nature Consulting Indonesia, REDD+ Task Force).
3: UK and EU policy-makers: such as the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC; UK government department for international climate policy), Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra; producer of the UK Statement on Sustainable Palm Oil), Department for International Development (DFID; funder of research into poverty alleviation through oil palm production), and the European Commission (who make EU-wide decisions pertaining to palm oil production and consumption via instruments such as the Renewable Fuels Directive).
4. Non-governmental organisations: comprising of those working in forest-agricultural landscapes (e.g. Hutan- Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project, Greenpeace, WWF, Conservation International, Rainforest Foundation).
5: General public: who demonstrate a keen awareness of tropical forest ecology, threatened species, oil palm production and climate change issues.
HOW MIGHT THEY BENEFIT FROM THIS RESEARCH?
1: Academic community: please see 'Academic Beneficiaries'
2 & 4. Oil palm and forestry industry groups/Non-governmental organisations: our project findings will provide recommendations on how to maximise profitability of oil palm plantations while maintaining, or even enhancing, ecosystem function and biodiversity. This state-of-the-art knowledge will benefit organisations interested in both sustainable oil palm production and forestry, particularly in the context of policies (REDD+) and certification schemes (e.g. Forest Stewardship Council, FSC; Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, RSPO; Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels) . By engaging these organisations in knowledge exchange throughout the programme of research, we can ensure that our work will be of value in terms of 'real-world' implementation and impact.
3: UK and EU policy-makers: increasing sustainable oil palm agriculture and reducing forest degradation/loss are key policy objectives globally. Our results will provide an informative evidence-base to support policy decision-making in this area, which is currently highly controversial, contradictory and dynamic (e.g. the recently introduced 'Nutella Amendment' in France, that has seen taxes on palm oil products increase by 300% due to environmental concerns; the recent decision by the EU to advocate palm oil produced according to RSPO guidelines as 'sustainable').
5: General public: the project will be of interest to the general population worldwide, as indicated by the substantial media coverage on tropical biodiversity and the associated impacts of human activities. This is an important means by which we can engage/inform the public about the value of biodiversity (e.g. its intrinsic worth, economic significance, ecosystem service provision) and promote awareness of sustainable use and conservation
Organisations
- University of Kent (Lead Research Organisation)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON (Collaboration)
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (Collaboration)
- Lancaster University (Collaboration)
- Government of Sabah (Collaboration)
- Environmental Protection Department (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF KENT (Collaboration)
- Malaysian University of Sabah (Collaboration)
Publications
Seaman DJI
(2019)
Densities of Bornean orang-utans (Pongo pygmaeus morio) in heavily degraded forest and oil palm plantations in Sabah, Borneo.
in American journal of primatology
Seaman D
(2021)
Orangutan movement and population dynamics across human-modified landscapes: implications of policy and management
in Landscape Ecology
Runting R
(2019)
Larger gains from improved management over sparing-sharing for tropical forests
in Nature Sustainability
Raine EH
(2019)
Dung beetle-mammal associations: methods, research trends and future directions.
in Proceedings. Biological sciences
Parrett JM
(2019)
Sexual selection predicts the persistence of populations within altered environments.
in Ecology letters
Parrett J
(2021)
Morph-specific investment in testes mass in a trimorphic beetle, Proagoderus watanabei
in Journal of Zoology
Padfield R
(2019)
Co-producing a Research Agenda for Sustainable Palm Oil
in Frontiers in Forests and Global Change
Mullin K
(2020)
Riparian Reserves Promote Insectivorous Bat Activity in Oil Palm Dominated Landscapes
in Frontiers in Forests and Global Change
Mitchell S
(2020)
Spatial replication and habitat context matters for assessments of tropical biodiversity using acoustic indices
in Ecological Indicators
Mitchell S
(2018)
Riparian reserves help protect forest bird communities in oil palm dominated landscapes
in Journal of Applied Ecology
| Description | The research has directly informed sustainability standards in oil palm agriculture via the 'High Carbon Stock' approach (land-use planning decision-support tool for companies) and Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil standards/policies for establishing forest set-asides. The 'High Carbon Stock' approach is a decision-support tool, designed by Greenpeace and The Forest Trust, to help commodity production companies deliver on 'no deforestation' commitments. It distinguishes between forest patches that should be protected as set-asides for their carbon/biodiversity value or, alternatively, converted to plantation. Between 2013 and 2019, we led the testing of the tool in Malaysia to determine whether high carbon stock areas also maintain high biodiversity. Combining innovative modelling, remote-sensing, and camera-trapping technology, we highlighted that the >100 hectare threshold used to identify High Carbon Stock forest patches for protection was beneficial for some threatened species, but that multiple patches need to be managed collectively to sustain viable mammal populations. Furthermore, during the same time period, we tested current Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and Sabah State Government forest set-aside policies for rivers edges, revealing the substantial biodiversity gains that could be achieved within plantations by expanding the mandated set-aside width from 20 to 40 m. At the same time, we conducted research to understand how forest set-aside placement at the landscape scale, may be optimised to reconcile the trade-off between ecological values in tropical agricultural landscapes without compromising food production. This work additionally highlighted the value of riparian reserves, prompting us to focus the impact side of the work on riparian legislation in Sabah, and more broadly with HCS and RSPO. The research was integral to the revision of the High Carbon Stock approach in 2017. It validated the conservation credentials of the methodology, convincing environmental professionals advising the RSPO of its value. RSPO is the leading sustainability certification system for palm oil production globally, covering ~19% of the oil palm estate across multiple tropical nations. In 2018, the RSPO formally adopted HCS as the principle means by which all oil palm companies seeking certification should identify forest areas for conservation or production. Consequently, since 2016, more than 2.8 million hectares of land have been assessed, and at least 690,000 hectares have been set-aside for conservation. In 2017, we provided evidence to RSPO and Sabah State Government in Malaysia regarding the protection of forest set-asides along rivers. RSPO then updated its best-practice management guidelines for these riparian set-asides, based directly on the research recommendations. In July 2020, we worked with the Sabah State Government to establish a Technical Committee, led by the Environmental Protection Department and Department for Irrigation and Drainage, and the Sabah Environmental Protection Department. The committee has set-about revising the Sabah Water Resources Enactment (1998) and forest protection regulations for rivers. They plan to increase the minimum mandated set-aside width from 20 to 40 m, due to the research findings, and employ the use of a decision tree, developed by the committee, to determine the width of set-asides alongside rivers (also known as riparian buffers or reserves). We have also worked closely with the Environmental Protection Department and Department for Irrigation and Drainage, and the Sabah Environmental Protection Department to conduct a systematic conservation plan, that has identified >500 stretches of priority rivers to protection and restoration across Sabah. These river stretches support important wildlife communities, and link up patches of forest through the Sabah agricultural landscape. Based on this research, uptake of the project findings and incorporation into policy of decision-making tools for increased forest-edge set-aside protection zone widths, is expected to dramatically improve conservation of species populations and movement corridors. |
| Exploitation Route | See box above |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| Description | Yes, both within policy (e.g. government in Sabah) and practice (e.g. RSPO). Please see the items loaded elsewhere on ResearchFish |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment,Other |
| Impact Types | Societal,Policy & public services |
| Description | Citation in HCS Approach Toolkit Version 2.0 |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| URL | http://highcarbonstock.org/the-hcs-approach-toolkit/ |
| Description | HIgh Carbon Stock (HCS) Approach Scientific Committee |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| Impact | x |
| Description | EnvEast NERC DTP PhD studentship (Nick Deere) |
| Amount | £80,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of East Anglia |
| Department | EnvEast NERC Doctoral Training Partnership |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2014 |
| End | 03/2018 |
| Description | NERC DTP (Enveast) studentship (Jessica Haysom) |
| Amount | £80,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of East Anglia |
| Department | EnvEast NERC Doctoral Training Partnership |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2016 |
| End | 09/2020 |
| Description | Newton Fund Impact Scheme |
| Amount | £149,937 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 537134717 |
| Organisation | British Council |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2020 |
| End | 11/2021 |
| Description | Newton Fund Institutional Links |
| Amount | £137,068 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 216433953 |
| Organisation | British Council |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2016 |
| End | 03/2018 |
| Description | Newton Fund Researcher Links |
| Amount | £36,750 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 216383932 |
| Organisation | British Council |
| Department | British Council Researcher Links |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2016 |
| End | 03/2017 |
| Description | University of Kent 50th Anniversary PhD Studentship 2014 (Simon Mitchell) |
| Amount | £75,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Kent |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2014 |
| End | 03/2018 |
| Description | University of Kent Vice Chancellor's Research Scholarship (David Seaman) |
| Amount | £75,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Kent |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2018 |
| End | 03/2022 |
| Title | Camera trap dataset within occupancy framework |
| Description | Contains 158,752 camera trap images from 130 camera trap stations deployed across a gradient of disturbance (continuous logged forest > highly disturbed fragmented forest > remnant forest patches > oil palm) within a human-modified tropical landscape. Cameras were stationed for a total of 42 nights each yielding a total sampling effort of 5,460 camera trap nights. Medium to large mammals represent the target species. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | None as yet. |
| Title | Data from: Riparian reserves help protect forest bird communities in oil palm dominated landscapes |
| Description | 1. Conversion of forest to oil palm agriculture is a significant and continuing threat to tropical biodiversity. Despite this, little is known about the value of riparian reserves in oil palm and how these conservation set-asides might best be managed to maintain biodiversity. 2. We characterised bird communities of 28 sites in an oil palm-forest mosaic in Sabah, Malaysia using 6104 encounters from 840 point counts. Sites included oil palm riparian reserves of various vegetation quality and reserve widths, which were compared to oil palm streams without a riparian reserve as well as riparian and non-riparian control areas in continuous logged forest. 3. Riparian reserves, oil palm waterways, and control sites in riparian and non-riparian forest supported distinct avifaunal communities. Riparian reserve width, forest quality and amount of forest cover were the strongest predictors of bird species richness. For forest-dependent species, each of these predictors had stronger effect size when compared with all species. On average, reserves held 31% of all species and 30% of forest specialists, whereas riparian forest controls averaged 32% of all species, but 38% of forest species. 4. Riparian reserves with >40 m of natural vegetation on each bank supported similar bird diversity to riparian forest control habitats found in continuous forest. However, to support equivalent numbers of forest-dependent species and species of conservation concern, reserves would need to be at least 100 m wide on each bank. The highest numbers of species were found in riparian reserves with above-ground carbon densities exceeding 75 tC ha-1, highlighting the importance of forest quality, as well as width, in supporting riparian bird communities. 5. Synthesis and applications. If designed and protected appropriately, riparian reserves in oil palm estates support diverse bird communities, including many species of conservation concern. This can be achieved by designating large reserves (80-200 m total width), but to maximize species numbers forest disturbance should also be minimised prior to conversion as well as during plantation operations.13-Jun-2018 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Subset of dataset shared and reused in "Abrams J., Sollmann R., Mitchell S.,, Struebig M, Wilting A., Capturing biodiversity complexities while accounting for imperfect detection: the application of occupancy-based diversity profiles Ecography 2021 (Accepted)" |
| URL | http://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.kn251r8 |
| Title | High Carbon Stock stratification of the SAFE project site, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, 2015 [HMTF] |
| Description | This data set provides a spatial stratification of forest cover into discrete vegetation classes according to the High Carbon Stock (HCS) Approach. The data set covers the Stability of Altered Forest Ecosystems (SAFE) project site located in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Data were collected in 2015 during a project which was included in the NERC Human-modified tropical forest (HMTF) programme. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | No impact, data under embargo until 31/08/2019. |
| URL | https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/documents/81cad1ef-b5cc-4592-a71f-204a5d04b700 |
| Title | Mammal detection data for the SAFE project site, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, 2015 [HMTF] |
| Description | This data set contains stacked detection matrices for 28 recorded mammal species across 115 sampling locations at the Stability of Altered Forest Ecosystems (SAFE) project site located in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Information for each camera trap sampling location, including spatial information and sampling effort is included. Data were collected in 2015 during a project which was included in the NERC Human-modified tropical forest (HMTF) Programme. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | No impact at present, data availability is under embargo until 31/08/2019. |
| URL | https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/documents/62774180-ae72-4873-9482-e8be3935f533 |
| Title | Maximizing the value of forest restoration for tropical mammals by detecting three-dimensional habitat associations |
| Description | Description: Species detection data for 28 medium-large mammal species obtained using camera trap methods across a logging-induced degradation gradient. Cameras were deployed using a paired design across 74 sampling locations. Data were used to explore species-habitat associations with LiDAR-derived measures of forest structure.Project: This dataset was collected as part of the following SAFE research project: Understanding covariation between mammalian diversity and forest carbon across a human-modified tropical landscapeFunding: These data were collected as part of research funded by: NERC (Standard grant, NE/K016407/1, http://gotw.nerc.ac.uk/list_full.asp?pcode=NE%2FK016407%2F1&classtype=ENRIs&classification=Biodiversity&cookieConsent=A)This dataset is released under the CC-BY 4.0 licence, requiring that you cite the dataset in any outputs, but has the additional condition that you acknowledge the contribution of these funders in any outputs.XML metadata: GEMINI compliant metadata for this dataset is available hereFiles: This consists of 1 file: DeereEtAl2020_PNAS.xlsxDeereEtAl2020_PNAS.xlsxThis file contains dataset metadata and 2 data tables:Site metadata and deployment details (described in worksheet Deployment)Description: Details of sampling locations, operational dates and survey effort for each camera trap station (N=126)Number of fields: 9Number of data rows: 126Fields: Site_ID: Unique alphanumeric identifier of the location camera traps were deployed (Field type: location)Habitat_Class: Forest condition relative to logging-indiced degradation. Follows Putz and Redford Classification scheme (Putz, Francis E., and Kent H. Redford. "The importance of defining 'forest': tropical forest degradation, deforestation, long-term phase shifts, and further transitions." Biotropica 42.1 (2010): 10-20) (Field type: categorical)Latitude: Geographic coordinate of camera trap location (Field type: latitude)Longitude: Geographic coordinate of camera trap location (Field type: longitude)Date_On: Date camera traps were deployed (Field type: date)Time_On: Time camera traps were deployed (Field type: time)Date_Off: Date camera traps were collected (Field type: date)Time_Off: Time camera traps were collected (Field type: time)CTNs: Total survey effort for camera trap station (Field type: numeric)Species detection data (described in worksheet Detection)Description: Raw camera trap detection data for 28 medium-large mammal species obtained from 126 camera trap stations deployed using a paired design across 74 sampling locations Number of fields: 7Number of data rows: 29008Fields: Site: Unique alphanumeric identifier of the location camera traps were deployed (Field type: location)common_name: Mammal species identifier (Field type: taxa)Sp_ID: Numeric species identifier, used to coerce dataframe into a 4D array (Field type: id)Site_ID: Numeric site identifier, used to coerce dataframe into a 4D array (Field type: id)Spatial_Rep: Spatial replicate indicative of the number of camera trap stations deployed at a site. Also used to coerce dataframe into a 4d array (Field type: replicate)Temporal_Rep: Temporal replicate, each comprising six camera trap nights (Field type: replicate)Detection: Presence/absence of species during survey period (Field type: abundance)Date range: 2014-06-20 to 2017-10-09Latitudinal extent: 4.5536 to 4.8121Longitudinal extent: 117.4122 to 117.7398Taxonomic coverage: All taxon names are validated against the GBIF backbone taxonomy. If a dataset uses a synonym, the accepted usage is shown followed by the dataset usage in brackets. Taxa that cannot be validated, including new species and other unknown taxa, morphospecies, functional groups and taxonomic levels not used in the GBIF backbone are shown in square brackets. - Animalia - - Chordata - - - Mammalia - - - - Rodentia - - - - - Sciuridae - - - - - - Rheithrosciurus - - - - - - - Rheithrosciurus macrotis - - - - - Hystricidae - - - - - - Hystrix - - - - - - - Hystrix brachyura - - - - - - - Hystrix crassispinis - - - - - - Trichys - - - - - - - Trichys fasciculata - - - - Proboscidea - - - - - Elephantidae - - - - - - Elephas - - - - - - - Elephas maximus - - - - Carnivora - - - - - Viverridae - - - - - - Viverra - - - - - - - Viverra tangalunga - - - - - - Arctictis - - - - - - - Arctictis binturong - - - - - - Paradoxurus - - - - - - - Paradoxurus hermaphroditus - - - - - - Hemigalus - - - - - - - Hemigalus derbyanus - - - - - - Paguma - - - - - - - Paguma larvata - - - - - Felidae - - - - - - Pardofelis - - - - - - - Pardofelis marmorata - - - - - - Prionailurus - - - - - - - Prionailurus bengalensis - - - - - - Neofelis - - - - - - - Neofelis diardi - - - - - Mustelidae - - - - - - Martes - - - - - - - Martes flavigula - - - - - Ursidae - - - - - - Helarctos - - - - - - - Helarctos malayanus - - - - - Herpestidae - - - - - - Herpestes - - - - - - - Herpestes brachyurus - - - - - Mephitidae - - - - - - Mydaus - - - - - - - Mydaus javanensis - - - - Primates - - - - - Cercopithecidae - - - - - - Macaca - - - - - - - Macaca fascicularis - - - - - - - Macaca nemestrina - - - - - Hominidae - - - - - - Pongo - - - - - - - Pongo pygmaeus - - - - Artiodactyla - - - - - Suidae - - - - - - Sus - - - - - - - Sus barbatus - - - - - Tragulidae - - - - - - Tragulus - - - - - - - Tragulus napu - - - - - - - Tragulus kanchil - - - - - Cervidae - - - - - - Muntiacus - - - - - - - Muntiacus atherodes - - - - - - - Muntiacus muntjak - - - - - - Rusa - - - - - - - Rusa unicolor - - - - Pholidota - - - - - Manidae - - - - - - Manis - - - - - - - Manis javanica - - - - Erinaceomorpha - - - - - Erinaceidae - - - - - - Echinosorex - - - - - - - Echinosorex gymnura |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | None to date. |
| URL | https://zenodo.org/record/4010757 |
| Title | Mitchell et al., 2020 Ecological Indicators Spatial replication and habitat context matters for acoustic assessments of biodiversity - associated data https://kar.kent.ac.uk/82363/ |
| Description | coustic index and species richness data collected and described in Mitchell et al., 2020 Ecological Indicators Spatial replication and habitat context matters for acoustic assessments of biodiversity. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | None as yet |
| URL | https://kar.kent.ac.uk/82363/ |
| Title | Riparian forest inventory data |
| Description | Contains data collected from 52 forest inventory plots in riparian areas across a human-modified landscape, including riparian buffers within an oil palm plantation (N=36), riparian areas in highly disturbed forest (N=12) and continuous logged forest riparian controls (N=4). Plots measured 25mx25m and data were collected using the RAINFOR protocol, variables collected include: diameter at breast height (DBH, cm), height (m), crown condition, crown illumination, liana coverage (upper/lower) and epiphyte score. Data were collected to augment the existing forest inventory database at the Stability for Forest Ecosystems (SAFE) study site. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | None as yet. |
| Description | Collaboration formed with Sabah Department for Irrigation and Drainage (DID), Malaysia |
| Organisation | Government of Sabah |
| Department | Department of Irrigation and Drainage |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Agreed to work with partners in DID to review scientific literature concerning the value of riparian reserves for tropical biodiversity and ecosystem functions. two outputs anticipated: 1) a rapid evidence appraisal reported to DID and published in a scientific journal; 2) a policy brief summarising the main findings in relation to environmental policy in Malaysia. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Agreed to work with team members from Kent, Oxford and SEARRP to translate review material into policy brief and infographic posters for the engineer and environmental community in Sabah. DID will use this material to inform the terms of reference for a consultancy firm to draft new/revised policies on riparian zone management in Sabah. Expected to announce the tender in 2018. |
| Impact | 1. draft rapid evidence appraisal of riparian literature, September 2017. 2. Policy brief to Sabah state government "Riparian reserves and biodiversity in tropical agriculture". |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Collaboration formed with Sabah Department for Irrigation and Drainage (DID), and Sabah Environmental Protection Department (EPD), Malaysia |
| Organisation | Environmental Protection Department |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Agreed to work with DID and EPD to produce, 1) a landscape scale optimisation exercise that provides evidence regarding how biodiversity and ecosystem functions can be maximised in palm oil plantations; 2) undertake a Sabah-wide prioritisation exercise that shows the most important riparian areas in Sabah for connectivity to aid movement of wildlife between forest patches through agricultural landscapes; 3) a decision tree to guide the decision making process regarding the width of riparian reserves through agricultural plantations in Sabah. |
| Collaborator Contribution | DID and EPD have organised, hosted, and contributed financially to various meetings and workshops (see Engagement Activities). These have all contributed to guiding progress towards the contributions (described above) that are currently being undertaken (March 19). |
| Impact | Outputs in progress. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | Collaboration formed with Sabah Department for Irrigation and Drainage (DID), and Sabah Environmental Protection Department (EPD), Malaysia |
| Organisation | Government of Sabah |
| Department | Department of Irrigation and Drainage |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Agreed to work with DID and EPD to produce, 1) a landscape scale optimisation exercise that provides evidence regarding how biodiversity and ecosystem functions can be maximised in palm oil plantations; 2) undertake a Sabah-wide prioritisation exercise that shows the most important riparian areas in Sabah for connectivity to aid movement of wildlife between forest patches through agricultural landscapes; 3) a decision tree to guide the decision making process regarding the width of riparian reserves through agricultural plantations in Sabah. |
| Collaborator Contribution | DID and EPD have organised, hosted, and contributed financially to various meetings and workshops (see Engagement Activities). These have all contributed to guiding progress towards the contributions (described above) that are currently being undertaken (March 19). |
| Impact | Outputs in progress. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | LOMBOK (Land-use Options for Maintaining Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions) |
| Organisation | Lancaster University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | LOMBOK (Land-use Options for Maintaining BiOdiversity and eKosystem functions) is a multidisciplinary consortium of researchers investigating biodiversity and the services it provides in human-modified tropical forests. My role is to provide information on mammalian distributions across a gradient of disturbance within a human-modified system. Furthermore, I have lead the collection of an augmented forest inventory dataset that will be used to enhance our understanding of biogeochemical cycles in production landscapes. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The LOMBOK team is generating comprehensive information on the patterns and congruence of biogeochemistry across a tropical land-use gradient, and will also elucidate the mechanisms underlying those patterns. The resulting datasets of realized and modelled ecosystem functions will feed into my assessment of biodiversity co-benefits. |
| Impact | None as yet. |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | LOMBOK (Land-use Options for Maintaining Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions) |
| Organisation | Malaysian University of Sabah |
| Country | Malaysia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | LOMBOK (Land-use Options for Maintaining BiOdiversity and eKosystem functions) is a multidisciplinary consortium of researchers investigating biodiversity and the services it provides in human-modified tropical forests. My role is to provide information on mammalian distributions across a gradient of disturbance within a human-modified system. Furthermore, I have lead the collection of an augmented forest inventory dataset that will be used to enhance our understanding of biogeochemical cycles in production landscapes. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The LOMBOK team is generating comprehensive information on the patterns and congruence of biogeochemistry across a tropical land-use gradient, and will also elucidate the mechanisms underlying those patterns. The resulting datasets of realized and modelled ecosystem functions will feed into my assessment of biodiversity co-benefits. |
| Impact | None as yet. |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | LOMBOK (Land-use Options for Maintaining Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions) |
| Organisation | Queen Mary University of London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | LOMBOK (Land-use Options for Maintaining BiOdiversity and eKosystem functions) is a multidisciplinary consortium of researchers investigating biodiversity and the services it provides in human-modified tropical forests. My role is to provide information on mammalian distributions across a gradient of disturbance within a human-modified system. Furthermore, I have lead the collection of an augmented forest inventory dataset that will be used to enhance our understanding of biogeochemical cycles in production landscapes. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The LOMBOK team is generating comprehensive information on the patterns and congruence of biogeochemistry across a tropical land-use gradient, and will also elucidate the mechanisms underlying those patterns. The resulting datasets of realized and modelled ecosystem functions will feed into my assessment of biodiversity co-benefits. |
| Impact | None as yet. |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | LOMBOK (Land-use Options for Maintaining Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions) |
| Organisation | UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | LOMBOK (Land-use Options for Maintaining BiOdiversity and eKosystem functions) is a multidisciplinary consortium of researchers investigating biodiversity and the services it provides in human-modified tropical forests. My role is to provide information on mammalian distributions across a gradient of disturbance within a human-modified system. Furthermore, I have lead the collection of an augmented forest inventory dataset that will be used to enhance our understanding of biogeochemical cycles in production landscapes. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The LOMBOK team is generating comprehensive information on the patterns and congruence of biogeochemistry across a tropical land-use gradient, and will also elucidate the mechanisms underlying those patterns. The resulting datasets of realized and modelled ecosystem functions will feed into my assessment of biodiversity co-benefits. |
| Impact | None as yet. |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | LOMBOK (Land-use Options for Maintaining Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions) |
| Organisation | University of Kent |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | LOMBOK (Land-use Options for Maintaining BiOdiversity and eKosystem functions) is a multidisciplinary consortium of researchers investigating biodiversity and the services it provides in human-modified tropical forests. My role is to provide information on mammalian distributions across a gradient of disturbance within a human-modified system. Furthermore, I have lead the collection of an augmented forest inventory dataset that will be used to enhance our understanding of biogeochemical cycles in production landscapes. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The LOMBOK team is generating comprehensive information on the patterns and congruence of biogeochemistry across a tropical land-use gradient, and will also elucidate the mechanisms underlying those patterns. The resulting datasets of realized and modelled ecosystem functions will feed into my assessment of biodiversity co-benefits. |
| Impact | None as yet. |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | LOMBOK (Land-use Options for Maintaining Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions) |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | LOMBOK (Land-use Options for Maintaining BiOdiversity and eKosystem functions) is a multidisciplinary consortium of researchers investigating biodiversity and the services it provides in human-modified tropical forests. My role is to provide information on mammalian distributions across a gradient of disturbance within a human-modified system. Furthermore, I have lead the collection of an augmented forest inventory dataset that will be used to enhance our understanding of biogeochemical cycles in production landscapes. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The LOMBOK team is generating comprehensive information on the patterns and congruence of biogeochemistry across a tropical land-use gradient, and will also elucidate the mechanisms underlying those patterns. The resulting datasets of realized and modelled ecosystem functions will feed into my assessment of biodiversity co-benefits. |
| Impact | None as yet. |
| Start Year | 2014 |
| Description | 55th Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC), Linking Natural History and Conservationb of Tomorrow's Tropical Ecosyustems, July 1-5, 2018, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presented preliminary findings of PhD research exploring the potential of coupling LiDAR and bespoke statistical models to inform tropical mammal xonservation by providing a more nuanced perspective on habitat selection. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Business engagement meeting (Sabah Softwoods, Tawau, Malaysia) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Meeting with oil palm producers in Malaysia at Sabah Softwoods offices in Tawau (Sabah Softwoods Sdn Bhd., Benta Wawasan Sdn. Bhd., Sabah Forestry Department, Yayasan Sabah) to outline research ideas under Newton Fund Institutional Links project and gain input from the industry representatives. Helped the team communicate our ideas to companies before we implemented the research, and highlighted a few areas of unexpected interest and insight from the companies. For example, Benta Wawasan staff highlighted that they believed riparian areas served as refuges for oil palm pests (beetles and rats), and so we will adapt some of our surveys to target these groups. Also, there was interest in the microclimatic aspect of our research, but from the plantation perspective (i.e. do riparian reserves influence temperature and humidity in adjacent plantation) and so we will add sample points in the plantations to enable us to address this. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Conference: Heart of Borneo: Enabling and empowering conservation through the science-policy interface, conservation finance and community engagement (Sabah, Malaysia) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Attended international conference to promote policy relevant findings regarding synergies between carbon and biodiversity conservation in human-modified tropical landscapes. The broad audience ensured maximum reach of these findings to relevant stakeholders. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Conference: Sustainable Landscapes for People, Business and Biodiversity; ATBC/SCB (Singapore) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Attended international conference to promote policy relevant findings regarding synergies between carbon and biodiversity conservation in human-modified tropical landscapes. The broad audience ensured maximum reach of these findings to relevant stakeholders. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Early career researcher workshop: Developing a research agenda to enhance the environmental sustainability of oil palm (Nov 2016) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The call for applications was distributed widely across Malaysian and UK academia and oil palm networks, and 45 people participated (39 early career researchers plus organisers and mentors). Twenty six institutions were represented from the university, business and third sector of the two countries. The workshop took place over three days, with the aim to network and present research on oil palm sustainability (day1), prioritise future research (day2), and cement researcher links and collaborations (day3). Day1. Following an opening lecture participants undertook multiple rounds of speed networking in which pairs were given one minute each to outline their research to their randomly allocated partner. Based on research interests, participants had been matched in advance for 'Lunch with Another Researcher', to further converse within research themes. Everyone then presented their research within a 3-minute thesis format to all participants, before an evening meal provided a further chance for discussion. Day2 comprised working with a list of research questions provided by participants at application. Using a sequence of prioritisation methods we aimed to reduce the 402 questions to 20-30 high priority ones, which if answered, would help improve the sustainability of oil palm. The first phase involved participants working in eight groups based on research expertise to reduce by consensus a set of 50-70 questions to 15. The resulting 85 questions were further reduced via three rounds of individual voting. Here, all remaining questions were printed at each stage and participants were given a fixed number of votes they could issue, either as stickers on wall-prints, or candies in bowls. The final list of 25 questions is representative of the research interests in the room, and covers themes in bioenergy technology, certification standards, livelihoods, ecology, and conservation. Day3 began with presentations from two mentors with expertise on the science-policy interface, and three stakeholder practitioners, who were asked to present their perspectives on achieving impact in the oil palm sector. We then ran an impact session to help participants identify beneficiaries of their research, and link their science to specific end practice, implemented in self-organised groups. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Engagement meeting with Department for Irrigation and Drainage, Sabah government , Kota Kinabalu (5 April 2017) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Newton funded PDRA Dr Sarah Luke and project partner Dr Eleanor Slade met with 30 government representatives of the Sabah Government (DID) to present research underway on riparian reserve management in Sabah. DID have a mandate to review state policies on river management, and so were interested to here of research on the effect of riparian reserves on water quality and biodiversity. The DID intend to begin a formal consultation later in 2017 towards a policy review. We agreed to develop a policy brief ahead of that consultation, to include preliminary results form our research funded by Newton Fund and NERC. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Engagement meeting with the Environmental Protection Department and Department for Irrigation and Drainage, Sabah government , Kota Kinabalu (23rd Feb 2018) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | On 23rd Feb 2018, Dr Jake Bicknell, project partner Dr Eleanor Slade (University of Oxford), Agnes Agama and Melissa Payne (South East Asia Rainforest Research Partnership) met with seven government representatives of the Sabah Government (Environmental Protection Department (EPD) and Department for Irrigation and Drainage (DID) to present research underway on oil palm landscape planning, with a focus on riparian reserves. EPD are tasked with ensuring the environmental sustainability of Sabah state, and are increasingly interested in state landscape planning to achieve multiple objectives. DID have a mandate to review state policies on river management, and so were interested to hear of research on the effect of riparian reserves on water quality and biodiversity. Dr Bicknell presented research that considers how changing land-use policies might deliver biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in commercial oil palm plantation landscapes. This involves examining the impacts of existing and potential future policies by evaluating the trade-offs between maximising oil palm yield and enhancing biodiversity/ecosystem functioning in forest set-aside areas, in particular riparian reserves. The primary aim of this meeting was to gauge interest from the Sabah State government with regards to scaling this work up to consider all of Sabah, and make future work a partnership. The research was well received, and very useful inputs were provided. A follow-up meeting will be held in June 2018 to present the state-wide analyses with the aim of eventually informing state-level policy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Engagement meetings with Oil Palm company representatives at the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) conference (28th-30th Nov 2017) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | From 28th-30th Nov 2017, Dr Jake Bicknell conducted two forms of engagement regarding oil palm landscapes at the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) conference in Bali, Indonesia. 1. Research was presented in a conference booth to oil palm company representatives. It described research regarding designing oil palm landscapes to maximise biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (something that is of importance to RSPO members). The South East Asia Rainforest Research Partnership (project partners) co-hosted the booth. 2. Discussions were held with nine oil palm company representatives (from Sime Derby, Golden Agri, Olam, SIPEF, Goodhope Holdings, Wilmar, First Resources Ltd), and one representative of the RSPO certification body. The discussions were designed to talk about landscape policies and guidelines in oil palm plantations that affect biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, and gauge company opinions on the possible impacts of changing policies. These discussions are subsequently being used to inform research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Heart of Borneo conference. Expert session on Contribution of science to conservation planning of natural landscapes. Co-facilitators: Dr Robert Ong, Sabah Forestry Department & Dr Matthew Struebig, University of Kent, UK. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Jake Bicknell (NERC PDRA) and M Struebig led on session on spatial conservation planning of natural landscapes. Co-facilitators: Dr Robert Ong, Sabah Forestry Department & Dr Matthew Struebig, University of Kent, UK. This was preceded by short talks by research team. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011,2016 |
| Description | Joint BES/gtö Symposium - Unifying Tropical Ecology: Strengthening Collaborative Science, 8-12 2019, Edinburgh, UK |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presented PhD findings to introduce a methodology combining high resolution remote sensing and primary biodiversity data to delineate priority conservation and restoration areas in degraded tropical forests. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Media interview on oil palm research projects in Malaysia (Mongabay) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview with Mongabay.com on ecological connectivity research in Malaysia. Published online Designing the ideal wildlife corridor for Malaysia's orangutans, 18 April 2016, Mongabay.com |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://news.mongabay.com/2016/04/designing-ideal-wildlife-corridor-malaysias-orangutans/ |
| Description | Media interview on oil palm research projects in Malaysia (Scientific American) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview with Scientific American for online article about orangutan conservation in oil palm estates. Highlighted research undertaken via Newton Fund and NERC-funded research projects. Can Oil Palm Plantations and Orangutans Coexist? Scientific American, 30 june 2016 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-oil-palm-plantations-and-orangutans-coexist/ |
| Description | Multi-stakeholder Follow-on Workshop to Finalise the Decision Tree for Riparian Buffers in Sabah. 8 April 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | On 8 April 2019, the team, led this time by Eleanor Slade organised and participated in a workshop follow-up from the previous riparian decision tree workshop. The Riparian Decision Tree presents standardised guidance that draws on existing regulations and is underpinned by scientific evidence when making recommendations for setting minimum riparian widths. Our research has demonstrated that riparian buffers support higher levels of biodiversity, including species of conservation concern that are known to rely on riparian areas. The Decision Tree draws on this evidence base, amongst others, to recommend guidance for increasing riparian widths beyond the minimum set in the Sabah Water Resources Enactment 2018. This tool is the outcome of a series of meetings, presentations, workshops, and consultations held over 2016 to 2019 between us and several government departments, oil palm industry players, research and civil society organisations. A final meeting is planned for April 2020 to completely finalise the decision tree. The process has included multiple press releases to inform the public in Sabah of the decision tree. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | NOTEBOOK An influx of scarce frugivores into highly degraded forest in Sabah, Borneo |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Published article in amateur ornithologist / conservation magazine published by Oriental Bird Club |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://www.orientalbirdclub.org/birdingasia-26 |
| Description | Newcastle University, School of Natural Environmental Sciences Biology Seminar Series |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I was invited to deliver a seminar for up to 50 postgraduate research students broadly discussing the findings of my PhD research. The seminar was followed by a debate, during which my methods and policy applications were discussed, including avenues for further enquiry. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Research presentation at SCB 29th International Congress for Conservation Biology, Conservation beyond boundaries: connecting biodiversity with communities, government and stakeholders, 21-25th July, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Not aware of any. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Research presentation at the University of Brighton 29th November 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Bicknell presented research to students and academics at the University of Brighton |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Research presentation at the University of East Anglia 20th March 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Bicknell presented research at the University of East Anglia, to students and other academics |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Research presentation. Conservation Asia, June 2016, Singapore |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Not aware of any. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Riparian decision tree workshop, Sabah, Malaysia (10th September 2020) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Riparian decision tree workshop, held in Sabah, Malaysia on the 10th September 2020. Bicknell and Struebig participated remotely in ongoing discussions to refine a decision tree that will be used by authorities, practitioners and industry. The decision tree represents a close collaboration between academics, and stakeholders in Sabah, Malaysia, enabling a robust, evidence based approach to determining the ideal riparian reserve width for plantations and forestry concessions. Bicknell, Struebig and Slade were involved in the breakout groups to refine the decision tree, and presented the latest findings from research regarding the contribution of riparian reserves to ecological values. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Riparian decision tree workshop, Sabah, Malaysia, 6th Aug 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Riparian decision tree workshop, held in Sabah, Malaysia on the 6th August 2020. Bicknell and Struebig participated remotely in ongoing discussions to refine a decision tree that will be used by authorities, practitioners and industry. The decision tree represents a close collaboration between academics, and stakeholders in Sabah, Malaysia, enabling a robust, evidence based approach to determining the ideal riparian reserve width for plantations and forestry concessions. Bicknell, Struebig and Slade were involved in the breakout groups to refine the decision tree, and presented the latest findings from research regarding the contribution of riparian reserves to ecological values. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Riparian workshop with EDP and DID, 26th June 18 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | On the 26th June 18, in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Department for Sabah (EPD), and the Department for Irrigation and Drainage for Sabah (DID) we held a workshop regarding riparian reserve policies in Sabah. The workshop was co-organised by Jake Bicknell (University of Kent), Matthew Struebig (University of Kent), Eleanor Slade (University of Oxford), Agnes Agama (South East Asia Rainforest Research Partnership), Melissa Payne (South East Asia Rainforest Research Partnership) and representatives of the EPD. In total, approx. 70 people were in attendance, including those mentioned above, as well as ~40 from EPD, ~10 from DID, 3 from SEARPP, 6 palm oil growers, 4 from the Sabah Forestry Department, 2 from the Sabah Economic Planning Unit, 5 from Malaysian Universities, many from NGOs, and the Sabah Minister for Tourism and the Environment, plus the media. At the workshop, Bicknell, Struebig and Slade presented outcomes of the research, that shows that if the width of riparian reserves in Sabah were increased, much more biodiversity would be supported than under the current width requirement. The agencies are now considering increasing the required width across Sabah. The event received considerable media attention, and was covered in at least three local, regional and national newspapers. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | SCB 29th International Congress for Conservation Biology, Conservation beyond boundaries: connecting biodiversity with communities, government and stakeholders, 21-25th July, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Communicated an integrated framework to prioritise tropical forest conservation and restoration based on biodiversity considerations to a diverse audience of academics and policy makers. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Symposium host at ATBC International conference, 1 July 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | PI Struebig, and Co-I Slade co-hosted a symposium at the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC) International Meeting in Kuching Malaysia, entitled "Environmental sustainability in oil palm: linking science to policy and practice across the tropics". The symposium provided a forum to collate the science learned in oil palm sustainability, and highlight ways to apply this knowledge more broadly across the oil palm producing regions. It included talks about the applied environmental science behind habitat management and design of plantations, assessing the impacts of certification, verification of existing/proposed prioritization toolkits and certification criteria, environmental/socio-economic trade-offs, and the application of emerging mitigation mechanisms such as biodiversity offsetting.Four talks were presented at the conference on riparian ecology that were supported by the Institutional Links grant. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | http://atbc2018.org/PI-Symposia.html |
| Description | Talk at ATBC Annual Conference in Kota Kinabalu Malaysia, Nov 2016 (Simon Mitchell) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Gave talk entitled "How effective are riparian reserves in protecting avifaunal communities in oil palm landscapes? A case study from Eastern Sabah" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Talk at ATBC Annual Conference in Kuching Malaysia, 2 July 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | On 2nd July 18, Jake Bicknell presented at the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC) annual meeting. The title of the talk was "Optimizing biodiversity, ecosystem functions and palm oil production: The role of riparian reserves", and was part of the Symposium "Environmental sustainability in oil palm: linking science to policy and practice across the tropics". The event was attended by other scientists, and representatives from NGOs. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Talk at ATBC Annual Conference in Kuching Malaysia, 2 July 2018 (Eleanor Slade, Oxford Uni; Miklin Ation, DID) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Co-I Eleanor Slade and Miklin Ationg (Department for Irrigation and Drainage, Sabah) co-presented activities from the Institutional Links project: "Assessing the benefits of riparian reserves in oil palm landscapes: developing the science to inform environmental policy" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | http://atbc2018.org/pdf/ATBC2018-Program-Book.pdf |
| Description | Talk at ATBC Annual Conference in Kuching Malaysia, 2 July 2018 (Esther Baking, UMS) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Esther Baking, PhD student at UMS, and supported by the Insitutional Links grant, presented her research on: "The value of oil palm riparian reserves for tropical mammals" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | http://atbc2018.org/PI-Symposia.html |
| Description | Talk at ATBC Annual Conference in Kuching Malaysia, 2 July 2018 (Henry Bernard, UMS) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Dr Henry Bernard (Co-I from UMS) presented research entitled: "Retaining riparian reserves in oil palm plantations mitigates the loss of native small mammal species" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | http://atbc2018.org/pdf/ATBC2018-Program-Book.pdf |
| Description | Talk at ATBC Annual Conference in Kuching Malaysia, 2 July 2018 (Simon Mitchell) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Gave a talk entitled "Species traits predict variation in environmental thresholds across logged forests and riparian reserves" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | http://atbc2018.org/pdf/ATBC2018-Program-Book.pdf |
| Description | Talk at Conservation Asia, June 2016, Singapore |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Talk entitled "How effective are riparian reserves in protecting avifaunal communities in oil palm landscapes? A case study from Eastern Sabah" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Talk at Science@SAFE meeting, Imperial Silwood park, UK |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Talk presented giving an overview of vertebrate responses to land-use change undertaken as part of HMTF. "Thresholds in vertebrate responses to land-use change: 5 years of the HMTF programme at SAFE" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |